Changing course or provider on a Student visa: what the 2026 changes mean

Status in one place

- In force since 2 October 2026: the National Code minimum before a provider transfer rises from 6 to 12 months, until 30 June 2027 inclusive (education law, F2026L01351).
- In force since 2 October 2026: most further Student visas must be lodged and granted outside Australia, with exemptions. See student-visa-changes-october-2026.
- Announced 17 September 2026, no law yet: a requirement to be granted a new Student visa before transferring to another provider, “intended to take effect in mid-2027”.
- Reverts on 1 July 2027: the National Code minimum returns to 6 months unless the instrument is changed.

The 12-month rule in the National Code

The National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students is made under the education sector's ESOS legislation, which is separate from the Migration Regulations. An amendment instrument, the National Code (Overseas Student Transfers) Amendment Instrument 2026 (F2026L01351), was registered on 1 October 2026 and started the next day, 2 October 2026.

Its explanatory statement says that from the start until 30 June 2027 (inclusive), registered providers are “generally prohibited from enrolling overseas students seeking to transfer from another registered provider … unless the student has completed at least 12 months of their principal course”. The earlier threshold was six months. From 1 July 2027 it goes back to six months.

The word “generally” matters. The National Code has existing exceptions to its transfer restriction. This page does not list them, because this page covers only the new amendment. The Department of Education publishes the Code itself, and a student or a registered migration agent can check whether an exception could apply.

This is a rule on providers: it governs whether a provider may enrol a transferring student. It is not a visa criterion.

The announced new-visa requirement for transfers

The explanatory statement for the National Code amendment says: “The relevant migration reform announced will create a stronger requirement for students to be granted a new student visa before they may transfer their studies to another international education provider, and is intended to take effect in mid-2027.”

That sentence is the official source for the plan. As at 12 October 2026 there is no regulation, no instrument and no Home Affairs page describing how it would work, who would be exempt, or what it would cost. Some commentary gives a date of 1 July 2027 and calls it a transfer stream. That date is not in the official material found, which says only mid-2027, so treat it as unconfirmed.

The Minister's speech on 17 September 2026 said that a change between courses “will require the application for a new visa, so we'll be able to test that it's legitimate, but it's effectively where, at the same institution or at the same level someone transfers from one course to another. It works.” The speech does not give a start date for the transfer measure.

Student visa rules from 2 October 2026 that touch course changes

Separate from the future transfer requirement, the Student visa rules that started on 2 October 2026 already change what a visa holder can do onshore when a course changes. In short, a person who holds a Student visa and wants a further Student visa as a primary applicant must apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia at grant, unless an exemption applies.

The exemptions most relevant to course changes, under LIN 26/087 and Home Affairs' published list, are:

- Completing studies: the person has started the principal course (or an alternative principal course with the same provider), has not completed it, and will complete it within 12 months of the end date on the confirmation of enrolment. Home Affairs describes this as up to 12 more months, continuing with the same provider.
- Progression: the person has completed the principal course and is enrolled in no more than one further course. If the completed course had an AQF level, the further course must be at a higher level. After a higher education course, the next course must also be higher education, delivered by a higher education provider.
- Provider default: within 12 months of the provider default day.
- Moves involving courses outside the AQF: school to a non-AQF course, and non-AQF to an AQF course.
- Doctoral students, Defence and Foreign Affairs students, and school students.

Home Affairs gives examples. An English language (ELICOS) course followed by a Bachelor degree is allowed onshore. An ELICOS course followed by another ELICOS course is not. A completed Bachelor degree at a higher education provider followed by a Graduate Diploma at a VET provider is not allowed onshore.

For any case outside these exemptions, a further Student visa would have to be lodged from outside Australia. Home Affairs warns that an application lodged onshore when it must be offshore is invalid, and that invalid decisions cannot be merits reviewed at the Administrative Review Tribunal. No Bridging visa is granted on an application lodged outside Australia.

Where the speech and the law differ

The Minister said that moving between courses at the same level or the same institution “works” through a new visa. The legal text is tighter for onshore lodgement. A further Student visa at the same level can be lodged in Australia only if it falls within an exemption such as completing the principal course with the same provider within 12 months. Otherwise it must be lodged from outside Australia.

The rule that you may go up the qualification scale “but only up the qualification scale” appears in the instrument as the requirement for a higher AQF level, with the added requirement that higher education must be followed by higher education at a higher education provider. This page follows the instruments and Home Affairs' pages.

Who is not affected

- Applications for a Student visa lodged before 2 October 2026. They are assessed under the rules in place when lodged.
- A student who stays at their provider and course. Neither the National Code transfer rule nor the onshore lodgement bar is triggered by simply continuing the course.
- Students who have already finished 12 months of their principal course, as far as the National Code transfer restriction is concerned. The 12-month threshold is the point of the rule.
- Everyone, as far as the mid-2027 new-visa requirement goes, for now. It is not law.

Whether a particular transfer is caught by the National Code, by the visa rules, or both, depends on the facts. A registered migration agent can advise on a specific case. Questions about education law and enrolment can also be put to the provider and the Department of Education.

What is not decided yet, and what to watch

Dated as at 12 October 2026.

- The mid-2027 new-visa requirement for transfers. Watch for a regulation, an instrument or a Home Affairs page that gives the start date, the exemptions and the process.
- What happens on 1 July 2027. The National Code threshold is set to return to six months. A further amendment could change that.
- Compiled versions of the Migration Regulations including the 2 October changes.
- Whether an expression-of-interest system for students is introduced. The Minister said it needs legislation and no bill had been found.
- Home Affairs wording. Its Student visa change pages were updated on 6 and 7 October 2026.

On this site, the existing guide change-course-student-visa-australia describes the course-change process before these changes. Treat it as background and check dates against this page. General information only. Whether any of this applies to your case is a question for a MARA-registered migration agent, who can assess your circumstances.

How long must I study before I can transfer to a new provider?

From 2 October 2026 until 30 June 2027 (inclusive), the National Code generally prohibits a provider enrolling a transferring overseas student unless the student has completed at least 12 months of their principal course. The earlier threshold was six months, and it returns to six months on 1 July 2027. The Code has existing exceptions that are not covered here.

Is the rule that I need a new visa to change provider already law?

No. The explanatory statement to the National Code amendment says the migration reform is intended to take effect in mid-2027. As at 12 October 2026 no regulation or Home Affairs page implements it.

Can I apply for a new Student visa in Australia when I change course?

Only if an exemption applies, for example completing your principal course within 12 months with the same provider or progressing to a higher qualification level. Otherwise a further Student visa must be lodged from outside Australia.

Can I move from an English course to another English course onshore?

Home Affairs gives this as an example that is not allowed onshore. A move from an English language (ELICOS) course to a Bachelor degree is allowed.

Can I go from a Bachelor degree to a Graduate Diploma at a VET provider?

Home Affairs states that students who have completed a Bachelor degree at a higher education provider cannot apply for a Student visa in Australia to study a Graduate Diploma at a VET provider.

What happens if my provider closes?

LIN 26/087 includes a provider default exemption that applies within 12 months of the provider default day, allowing an onshore application. Check the current wording with a registered agent.

Where does the 1 July 2027 date for a transfer stream come from?

Some commentary uses it. The official explanatory statement says only “mid-2027”. Treat 1 July 2027 as unconfirmed until Home Affairs or an instrument gives a date.

Do these rules apply to applications lodged before 2 October 2026?

The visa rules do not. Home Affairs says earlier applications are assessed under the old rules. The National Code transfer restriction is about when a provider may enrol a transferring student, so ask the provider how it applies.